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On the first day of the campaign cops seized ten cars while more than 30 motorists are also facing fines or points on their licence.

Officers from the Central Motorway Police Group (CMPG) − a partnership of West Midlands, West Mercia, Staffordshire and Warwickshire forces − teamed up on February 7 in a united front against anti social and dangerous drivers.

Codenamed Operation Hercules, the campaign will see traffic cops patrolling major trunk roads at weekends that are popular with car cruisers on the look-out for speeders and illegally modified vehicles.

Traffic Process Orders (TPOs), which result in drivers being fined, having their licence endorsed, taken to court, or offered a drive improvement course, were handed out to 33 motorists.

In addition, four street race warnings were issued and three people summonsed to attend court for careless driving.

In December the new West Midlands Police Chief Constable David Thompson, said the region had the country’s biggest problem with illegal street racers.

Warned that “overt and, in some cases, covert” tactics will continue to be used to disrupt their high-speed gatherings and said motorway officers had been tasked with taking on the illegal street racers.

He said: “We have obtained civil injunctions in the past, but we have sometimes had a fragmented approach to this issue.

“The CMPG (Central Motorway Police Group) are now going to be taking a leadership role in this area and are doing an intelligence assessment to make sure we have a robust approach.

“It’s an incredibly important area for us.”

Traffic officer, PC Adam Jobson, said: “The bad weather seemed to put off a lot of cruisers but there was still no shortage of Road Traffic Act offences identified by our officers.

“Cars were seized for a variety of reasons: some had dangerously dark tinted windows and others had modifications that potentially nullified their insurance.

“Four Section 59 notices were issued to drivers. If they are caught street racing or driving anti-socially again, thus breaching the conditions, we will seize the car. And that means the owner faces a sizeable bill for storage and release costs.”

TPOs were given for speeding, illegally modified number plates and excessive window tinting, while a Honda Civic was recovered after being abandoned following a brief police pursuit.